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LSYLVESTER.

BRICK MACHINE.

@eine tatrs atrat IMPROVED BRICK MACHINE.

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TO ALL WHOM I'I MAY CONCERN:

De it known that I, LEWIS SYLVESTER, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an improved Brick Machine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, elevar, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention consists of' certain mechanism, fully described hereafter, for making bricks from clay, which may be either granulated damp clay,`or clay properly tempered. i

`In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and useY my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing 'which forms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved brick machine.

Figure 2, a transverse Avertical section of the same on the line 1 2, Bg. 1.

Figure 3, a vertical section ofthe machine, on the line 3-4, fig. 2.

Figure 4, a transverse vertical section on the line 5 6, lig. 3.

Figure 5, a plan view, partly in sect-ion.

Figure 6, a detached sectional viewor-part of the machine; and i Figure 7, a sectional view of another part of the machine.

Similar lettersrefer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In suitable bearings, on the opposite side frames, A and A of the machine, turns the driving-shaft 13, on which are two cams, C and (Y, and an intermediate and smaller cam D, and at one end of the said shaft is a cog-wheel, a, (see tig. The cam D acts on a yoke, composed cf two plates, I and b', connected together by bolts c, theplate 1) being secured to a rod,.1l, which slides in a standard, 0l, secured to the frame ofthe machine, and the plate b being secured to a rod, E', which terminates in a plunger, F.' A pin, d, figs. 3 and 5, passes through and tits snugly in the rod E', and through slots c in the neck of the plunger F, and two blocksfslide in grooves on the plunger, and are secured thereto, and may be adjusted thereon by a ring,f. Itis sometimes necessary, as will be more fully explained hereafter, to allow the plunger a slight longitudinal movement upon its rod E', and the extent ofthis movement may bc regulated by the position of the blocksf, which limit the movement ofthe pin d. A

Diagonal braces g g, iig. 5, are secured atene end to the rod E, and are furnished at their outer ends with Vpins y', which can slide freely in the plunger F, so that the above-mentioned independent movement of the latter is not interfered with'.

The plunger is arranged to slide freely in a box, G, which is secured to the opposite side frames A and A', of the machine, and is divided in the present instance into four equal compartments a', bypartitions L L It, cach of the latter bengadapted to a recess, t, in the plunger.

Extending across the machine, beneath the'boi; G, is a steam pipe, I, which communicates through minute openings at several points with each of the compartments 2:, the pipe being provided with a suitable valve or cock, which can be operated from a working part of the machine by suitable mechanism, which it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate in the drawing. v

Atthe top of the box G isformcd a hopper, z', above which, as shown in gs. 1, 3, and 7, is placed in a vertical position a tray or oil-bearing board, i. Within the hopper z' is a spindle,j, furnished with cutters or agitating-knives j', and a rocking motion is imparted to the said spindle through the medium of rods lc, and a crank-wheel, 7c', by a pinion, 7c, which 4gears into the cog-wheel 'a on the driving-shaft B. Each ofthe cams c and c on the driving-shaft acts on a sliding-frame or yoke, consisting of upper and lower horizontal plates H and H, connected together by screw-rods l, the latter being arranged to slide in guides l', secured to the frame of the machine.

The two sliding-frames or yokes are also guided by rods Z, one of which is secured to cach of the lower plates H', and is adapted -to a suitable guide on the bed-plate of the machine.

The short arms of two levers, J and J', on a rock-shaft, I', arel connected to the plates H by rods m, and their opposite arms are connected by rods n to a mould-plate, K, which is in contact with the rear of the stationary box G, before described, and is arranged to slide in vertical guides p 2J, formed in standards A, secured to the opposite side frames A and A.

sesso A box,p,'g. 6, forming a ps1-trof the mould-plate, entersl each of the said guides p, and is of suehcom struction that it can be tightened orloosened in the same, and on each side ofV the mould-plato is a lug, p2, for a purpose described hereafter, ,(see fig. 5.) Y v l Y A plate, q, is secured to the bottom' ofthe mould-plate K, anda. lighter plate, q', to the top of the same, and within the said mould-plate are four moulds 1:', which, when the parts are in the position shown in figs. 1 and 5, coincide with the compartments x 'of the box Gr. Within each of the moulds e' is a follower, r, provided with a rod, r1, and in the bottom and at the rear of each mould is a slotn'z, iig. 1, for a. purpose described hereafter'.

All of thenrrods are connected'together by a cross-head,- L, which moves in guides ss',lsecured to the mould-plate, the said cross-head insuring the simultaneous moving ofthe followers in the moulds, (sec fig. 5.)

A'shaft, M, Aiig. 5, is adapted to bearings at the rear of the cross-head L, and at each end of this rod is an arm, P, the opposite ends of the arms being connected together by a rod, M', provided at its opposite ends with small anti-friction pulleys t, which are adapted to vertical grooves t' t' in standards, one of which is secured to cach ofthe opposite side frames of themachine, (see iig. 6.) v

n the inner side of cach of the standards A" A" are two ribs, it and u, a weighted rod, w, resting upon the upper bent end `of the rib v, and the rib u isslightly bevelled at the point z, fig. 1, for a purpose described hereafter. A lug, y, rounded on one\ side, projects from the standard A" 'near to the rib u, and the latter is recessed at y', for a purpose hereafter described.

Operation. 4 Y

Let it be supposed that the working parts of the machine are' in the position shown in fig. 1, and that the driving-shaft B is' revolving in the direction of its arrow. Untempered granulated clay is introduced into the hopper t', among the knives j', to which a vibrating motion is imparted in the manner described, but it should be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular arrangement or construction of' agitating-knives, or to the manner of operating the same. The clay falls l.into the compartments :i: of the box G, and is heated, moistened, and rendered more elastic by the-action of the jets of steam admitted to it from the steam pipe I. It should be understood that the minutejets of steam are permitted to pass into the compartments a: for a moment only, the pipe I being closed justibcfore the ram begins to advance. As the shaft B revolves the cam D actson the plate Z1 of the rod E', and forces the'lattcr land its plunger F forward in the direction of the arrow, iig. 1. The clay contained in the box G is forced intothe ymoulds-aa', pushing before it the followers r, their rods r1, and the cross-head L, and is compressed between the plunger F and the pistons r, within the moulds fr', and any particles of clay which nd their way behind the followers do not clog the moulds but fall through the slots r2. Simultaneously with this movement of the plunger F, theirodv M and arms P are4 moved forward, the rod M rising slightly in the grooves t'. As soon as the cam D ceases to act on the plunger the cams C and C' of the driving-shaft-bear upon and depress the plates Il', thus operating the levers J and J', which, through the medium ofth'eredsin,"raisc.the mould-plate K and the bricls contained v-herein to the position shown in lig. 3. .(It should'bc understood that the cams C C' and D are so formed and so arranged in respect to eachother, and to the plates b b", and H H', that when the former plates are operated the latter remain stationary, land oit-c versa.) Y

The mould-plate K, in rising, carries with it thc. rods M and M', and the arms I The friction-pulleys s', i on the projecting ends of the Vrod M, (sce lig. 9,) strike the lugs y, and are forced into the recesses y' of the ribs u, thus pushing'forward the 4pistons 1' to a very limited extent, and giving the bricks a slight final back pressure. The upward movement being still continued, the pulleys s', .leaving the recesses y', draw back the pistons r slightly, but enough to prevent them from sticking to the bricks. Before the mould-plate K has reached the limit of its upward movement, the anti-frictionpulleys t of the rodM' have nrrivedat the top ofthe grooves t'. At the same time the pulleys s' strike and elevate the weighted rods w, as shown in fig. 6. 'lhe rod g vM', at thc top of thegrooves t', now becomes u. fixed centre or fulcrum for thev arms l), and as the mould-platel and rod M still continue to rise, the said arnis turn upon therod M' in the direction of the arrow, fig. 6, pushingi forward the cross-head L and pistons r. The bric.ks,`as they are pushed from the moulds x', areV received upon the tray or o`bearing board t", which is raised Aby the projecting lugs p2, as the mould-plate completes its upward movement. The plate q', secured to the top of the mould-plate, prevents the tray t"from becoming displaced when the mould-plate is moved, and the plateg serves to reta-in the clay which is dropped into the box G when thc mould-plate is elevated, as shown in iig. 3. y

The parts are now in the position shown in g. 3, and us the shaft B revolves the cams C and C' cease A operate the plates H, and the cam D strikes'the plate o', and draws back the rod E and its plunger F from the box Gr, which then receives a fresh charge of clay, as before described.V Then the cams C and C' act ou and raise the plates H of the sliding-frames, the levers J and J' are operated, and the mould-plate K beginsrits vdownward movement. A's the mould-plate descends, the pulleys e' of the rod M strike the bevelled edge z of the rib v, iig. 3, and the pistons 1' are drawn back slightly, until flush with the edge of the mouldplate, as shown in fig. l; they were previously pushedbcyond this point in cjecting the bricks so as to clear the latter of the moulds. The mould-plate continues to descend until it and all of the working parts of the machine again arrive at the position shown in fig. "l, when the clay is forced into the moulds x', and the operation goes on as before described. v Y* I It sometimes happens, especially in wet weather, that the, clay is heavier and more compact than at ordinary times, then requiring less pressure, and occupying less space than loose clay. When such is the ease, the capacity of the compartments of the box G must be lessened accordingly, which is done by adjusting the Y ring f' on the neck of theplunger F, and'allowing the latter more or less play upon its rod E, as before described. Sometimes, also, in working with clay in its ordinary1 state, the plunger F moves beyond the required point, and compresses the bricks too much, or does not move forward far enough, but in either ease the defect is easily remedied as above by shifting the ring f.

Heretofore I have alluded to the use of the untempered clay, but the clay may be tempered or partly tem-` pered by applyingsuitable revolving knives to the hopper. One of the most prominent features of my abovedescribed invention is the peculiar construction and use of the off-'bearing hoard z". Instead of being placed horizontally as in other brick machines, it isplaced vertically, and rests on its edge l2, fig. 7, this edge heing furnished with a metal plate, and serving as a bearing for the ends of the bricks as they are pushed from the moulds. As the mould-box descends, the beard is carried down with it until it reaches its bearing, when it becomes stationary, as the box continues to descend, hence the bricks remain on the edge 2 of the'board and are stripped from the face of the followers. The limited back pressure imparted to the bricks has the effect of rendering their rear faces as smooth as their front faces which have been acted on by the plunger.

It will be evident to those familiar with machinery of this class that many of theparts may be modified and altered without departing from the main features of my invention.

Without confining myself, therefore, to the precise construction and arrangement of parts therein described, I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A 1. The combination of the reciprocating mould-box, its compartments and followers, the box G, and its partitions It, and the reciprocating ram, with its recesses for the reception of the 'said partitions, the whole being constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination ofthe above with the hopper G. Y

3. The pin or key d, for connecting the ram F to the rod E, in combination with the devices herein described, or the equivalents to the same, whereby the ram and rod may be made a fixed part of each other, or may be made to move to a limited extent independently of each other for the purpose specified.

4. The mould-box, followers r, their rods r1, und plate Ii, in combination with the arms P, and the appliances herein described, or their equivalents, whereby the said arms are caused to yield on forcing the clay into `the compartments ofthe said box, are .carried upwards with the box, and are made the medium of forcing the bricks from the box, all substantially as set forth.

5. The bearing-olii` boards z", constructed and applied to a brick machine, substantially as described, so as to serve as a medium for stripping the bricks from the followers, as set forth.

6. A steam pipe, I, communicating with the compartments :1: of' thc box G, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS SYLVESTER..

Witnesses:

H. Howsoiv, W. J. R. DELANY. 

